


Proof That Harley Keener Has A Heart

by booknerds_unite



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Don't read if you haven't seen Endgame, I'm not even kidding, Keenker, M/M, Parley, Peter is a Little Shit, So much angst, alcohol bois, because he wasn't snapped, harley is a sad 21 year old, harley is a sad gay, parkner, peter is in turmoil he doesn't know how old he is, smoking bois, so many emotions too, so many spoilers, so much sad, the rest of the avengers are here too btw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 09:19:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18808258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booknerds_unite/pseuds/booknerds_unite
Summary: It's been five years too long for 21 year old Harley Keener to have so sad when he finally gets his family back, but loses the only real father he's ever known. On the eve of the funeral, Harley meets a young man who understands just how much it hurts, how unfair it really is.Peter Parker didn't know that the Harley Keener Mr. Stark had talked about would be a lanky college student with a spitfire sarcasm and the prettiest eyes in Tennessee, but it made for a pleasant distraction from the guilt and grief that was eating away at his heart.





	Proof That Harley Keener Has A Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my goodness I'm so EXCITED for everyone to read this!!!!! so to clarify: Harley didn't get snapped in this one and there will be flashbacks and such to his times in Rose Hill all by himself. He's 21, Peter is still 16, but Peter likes to think he's older than that (little bastard). Anyway, enjoy, leave kudos, comment, I hope you like it!

  The last time Harley Keener had been happy, truly happy, was before the Decimation when Tony Stark told him he would pay for his college tuition and “was not accepting any arguments.” Harley had been ranting again about how much college was and how little they paid his mom, when Tony wrote a check and just made all his worries go away.  
  To him, Tony was more a father than his real dad had ever been because Tony _fixed_ things. He helped people.  
  In hindsight, that tuition money did jackshit during those five years when Harley was virtually alone. Alone, waiting, for his mom and his sister to come home. Taking care of the house. Fighting off freeloaders and looters. Answering every phone call because Pepper, and then Tony, were worried about him.  
  In the end what good did it all do, he wondered, as he dug the old suit out of his closet. He could barely hear Happy over the daze he was stuck in.  
  His real dad, the dad he wanted, was gone.  
  There had been no phone call, no warning, just a knock at the door. Harley had sprinted past Riley to get it, practically tripping over his own feet. Maybe it’s Tony. He promised he’d come.  
  Instead, Happy Hogan graced the threshold of the Keener home, a solemn look on his face. A little older, a little scruffier, a little sadder than the last time Harley had seen him.  
  Instantly, Harley knew something was wrong. It was almost a new skill, being able to sense bad news. The last five years had trained him well for terrible happenings.  
  Now, he was standing in his living room, bags in hand, prepared to do the the one thing he had never wanted to do. After saying goodbye to his mom and Riley, he climbed into the car, his knees knocking the seat in front of him. The last time he had seen Tony in person, Harley had teased him relentlessly for being a mere 5’ 9” to his gangly 6 foot frame.  
  Thinking of that only hurt more.  
  “Pepper will be happy to see you.” Happy said, trying to keep up the mood as they drove. “And Morgan. She’ll need her brother.”  
  “Happy, I really can’t do this right now.” Harley grumbled, voice shaking. “I appreciate it, but I can’t.”  
  “It’s okay kid. Take your time.” Happy smiled at him sadly in the rearview mirror and rolled up the divider.  
  Harley unbuckled his seatbelt and spread out on the seat, staring up at the roof. After a moment, he spoke. “FRIDAY?”  
  _“Hello, Mr. Keener. Nice to see you again.”_  
  “Do I have anything from Tony?”  
_“Yes, but you are to watch it at the cabin. Boss’_ _orders.”_  
Harley bit his lip, eyes blurring with tears. Finally, he allowed himself to cry.

* * *

  Harley fell asleep at the three hour mark, so Happy had to gently wake the boy upon arrival.  
  “Happy, are all the Avengers here?” He asked quietly as they approached the porch.  
  Happy hesitated. “No. Not all of them.”  
  Harley nodded. “I understand. So it’ll just be a few fucking sad super people, not all of them.”  
  “Harley…”  
  “What?” He turned to glare at the man. “I can’t be upset?! He was my dad, alright?”  
  “Harley…” Pepper Pots (or was it Stark? Harley still didn’t know) stood in the doorway, a shawl around her shoulders. “Harley you have every right to be upset.”  
  “He was my dad…” Harley began to sniffle, furiously wiping the tears from his face. Pepper wrapped him in her arms, making the twenty-one year old feel small.  
  “Come in. May is making breakfast and Morgan is upstairs with Peter.” Pepper planted a kiss on his forehead and ushered him inside.  
  “W-Who is May? Who is Peter?” Harley asked, wiping his face with his sleeves.  
  Before Pepper could answer, a loud shriek of laughter came from the stairs, where four year old Morgan Stark was clutching to a boy dangling upside down from a spider-web…  
  “MOMMY LOOK!” Morgan screamed. Pepper sighed, as if she’d seen this all before. “PETER IS FLYING!”  
  Slowly, the boy (well, Peter) reached out an arm and shot out another web. He began to spin them, winding them up like a spring. Harley watched, mesmerized, as Morgan clung to him with a grin that stretched from ear to ear.  
  Then he released the web.  
  They began to spin at lightning speed, Morgan’s shrieks joined by a deeper laugh. Even Pepper had a small smile.  
  Once they finally stopped, the boy lowered them both to the ground. Morgan stumbled over to her mother, Peter in tow.  
  “Was that fun?” Pepper asked. Morgan nodded, teetering back and forth. “Well, I’ve brought you another playmate.” She pointed at Harley, who waved.  
  “HARLEEEEEY!” Morgan screeched, attacking his legs like a toddler sized bowling ball. “I missed you!”  
  “I missed you too Morgie Bug!” Harley grinned, squeezing her in a hug. “I missed you too.”  
  “Are you gonna play with me and Peter?” She asked.  
  Harley had forgotten about Peter.  
  He looked away from Morgan and up at the other boy who was standing with Pepper, hands stuffed in the pockets of his gray sweatpants.  
_Holy shiiii_  
  Peter didn’t even have to try, but he was one of the prettiest boys Harley had ever seen. His body was muscular and built, easily seen under that stupidly adorable science pun shirt he was wearing. Messy brown curls framed a strong face with a jawline that _(fucking hell)_ was sharper than anything Harley had ever seen. His brown eyes, soft and sad, were trained on Harley and Morgan. Peter’s lips (Harley needed to not stare at those) were quirked in a small smile.  
  Right. Harley was staring. Fuck. Not the time.  
  “O-Of course. I’m here, as long as you need me.” He released Morgan and stood, smoothing out his clothes (mostly giving himself an excuse to wipe off his hands).  
  “Harley come meet Peter.” Pepper pulled the other boy over. “You were always supposed to meet, but… a lot has happened.”  
  “That’s one way to put it.” Peter sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Hey, I’m Peter. Peter Parker.”  
_Oh. THAT Peter._

Tony had mentioned another kid, an intern, on their phone calls. Harley had almost been sick of hearing about Peter Parker until Tony had come back from space and cried to him about ‘losing the kid.’ Then Peter Parker had new emotional value to him.  
“Nice to meet you.” Harley stuck out his hand, trying to retain some of his alpha sibling status. He had to stay cool. “I’m Harley Keener.”  
Peter’s face lit up unexpectedly. “Oh! Mr. Stark talked about you! You’re the potato gun kid!” He dropped his hand, but his smile stayed. “He said you were a genius.”  
Harley shoved his hands in his pockets to hide how shakey they were. “I mean, I should be at MIT right now, but the world has to put itself back together.”  
Pepper stepped in. “Peter, why don’t you show Harley upstairs?”  
Peter automatically grabbed his bags (much to Harley’s protests) and started towards the stairs.  
“You said you should be in college?” Peter asked as he kicked a door open. “Mr. Stark said you were my age and-”  
“Yeah well I didn’t get dusted with half of humanity.” Harley cut him off, more bite in his words than he had intended.  
Peter went silent. Fuck. You idiot. Harley glanced back at the younger (maybe?) boy to see his jaw clenched and head lowered, as if he was avoided something.  
“Don’t apologize. It’s fine.” Peter managed to spit out. “It’s just weird to… to come back after all this and to be no different.”  
Harley sat down on the bed. “My sister Riley came back still eleven years old. I used to be five years older than her, now it’s ten. Trust me, it’s weird for all of us.” He reached into his jacket pocket for a cigarette, then paused. Not the right moment, not yet.  
Peter flopped down next to him with a soft groan. “So you’re twenty one…” He trailed off, glancing at Harley with raised eyebrows.  
“Uh, yep. J-Just recently actually.” Harley cleared his throat. “How old are you?”  
“Well, I guess I’m twenty one.” Peter chuckled. He glanced at himself. “But I’m also sixteen? I don’t know.”  
“Ain’t even legal. Sucks for you.” Harley snorted, putting his cigarette between his lips. He laid back on his bed, half lidded gaze trained on Peter as he lit the cigarette and took a long drag.  
Peter went red, just as predicted. “Uh, I don’t… What…”  
“Can’t drink, can’t smoke, can’t…” Harley grinned. “Nah, you can do that. Never mind.” He blew some smoke at Peter, who coughed and stood up.  
“I don’t think Pepper would-”  
“What?” Harley sat up. “Can’t a guy smoke when he’s upset?” He held out the cigarette between his fingers. “Smoke?”  
Peter’s face became closed off instantly, his hands curled into fists. “Bathroom is second to the left.” He muttered. “Don’t smoke in Tony’s house.” And he slammed the door behind him.  
Harley flopped back on his bed. He hadn’t started smoking until year three without his family and he hadn’t touched alcohol until four months ago, after a pretty nasty fight with some looters, but they had both become staples of his lifestyle.  
The way the day was going, he was going to be out of cigarettes by the funeral tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter will be up soon!


End file.
